After Thoughts
by WickedWitch1313
Summary: Beginning during the celebration feast at the end of DH. Minerva McGonagall grieves over the loss of her loved one's death. What will happen when she finds him not to be dead as she had presumed?
1. Love, Loss and Bad Kidney Pie

_A/N: I got the inspiration for this story while watching a Criminal Minds episode and eating lots of salsa and chips so bear with me. Please enjoy and be careful where you step because some parts can get fluffy._

_Reminder: This is my baby story… my first piece to put out there. So be gentle, support the head and don't drop it. __- WickedWitch1313_

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Minerva McGonagall sat at her table playing with her dinner. Around her, the Great Hall was filled with the happy chatter of the battle's carefree survivors. They basked in their newfound freedom from the fear that had plagued their lives during Voldemort's reign. She felt like a puppet; nodding, smiling, and grieving on cue to the comments of the colleagues' voiced opinions.

The outer shell of her body betrayed none of the agony she was experiencing. Inside, she was screaming. She wished for nothing more than the opportunity to find a quiet corner of her room curl up in the fetal position and cry.

Unfortunately due to her own pride and the conversation Professors Flitwick and Hagrid were conducting that partially included her, the opportunity had not yet presented itself. The only person she _really_ wanted to talk with was dead. That one man whom she loved. That brave, foolish, stupid man.

Twirling her fork through an untouched slice of kidney pie, she reminisced on memories from their life together: the day they met, the first day he came to work at Hogwarts, their first touch, that first spark of attraction that neither wished to admit to, and that day. That final day they'd decided to overcome their irrational fears and became a couple and the love that ensued.

The memories were seared into her mind, fresh as yesterday's happenings. The pain she felt pierced her heart like a red-hot dagger. The wounds may have been cauterized by the war and the dull, numbing ache of its loss, love and tragedies may slightly overshadow her current heartaches but she hadn't lost it yet. As painful as those memories and thoughts may be, as horrifying the truth was, she refused to break down. She wouldn't hide in that desolate corner and cry. She could only sit and stare out across the heads of people at the surrounding tables celebrating and grieving in their own ways and see none of it.

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_A/N 2: This was the first chapter, I hope you all like it. Please leave me your comments so I can improve things. _


	2. Snake Bites and Their Antidotes

_A/N: Okay people! Here's the second chapter. It took me a while to figure out exactly how to get the first one up but there it is! Warning: some parts are corny beyond belief. I mean like Indiana-Fields- Corny .Do what I do and just use the word poetic. It's much more... poetic._

_This chapter is set four hours previous to the first and focused on Severus Snape._

Severus Snape grunted as he struggled to pull himself up into a sitting position. The snake's venom was much more potent than he'd thought originally but then again, people didn't just pop up good as new after being bitten by a giant snake. It took some time for the venom to be cleared from the veins… He was lucky the antidote had worked at all! Shaking his head, he attempted to regain his balance.

After several tries, he managed to sit up and lean against a broken chair shrouded in a white cloth. If he stayed completely still and silent, he imagined he could fear faint cries as war broke out amongst the Hogwartians and the Dark Lord's army. Severus closed his eyes and silently prayed that she be safe.

Much as he had tried to deny it at first, he'd let her grow on him to the point of affection, maybe even love. He still felt for Lily. He was quite sure that he always would, but somehow, whenever Minerva was near him, the dull ache he had constantly felt had subsided. The ache was now little more than a sorrowful memory of his past.

That was why she had to be safe! He wasn't sure what he would do if he lost Minerva as well.

Taking in a deep breath, Severus got a strong grip on the chair he was propped up against. With all his might, he pulled himself inch by inch onto it. Once there, he collapsed into a fit of wheezes and gasps. There was no way he was getting back to the castle anytime soon.

_A/N 2: So, we've now established a base line… Phewy._

_I added in that bit on Lily to comfort those who (like me) thought the whole Snape in love with Lily thing was awesome. Unfortunately, I am also privy to the undercover McGonagal/Snape train. Please comment on my (loverly or horrid) work, your choice._


	3. Poppy Presumptions

_A/N: This chapter was a tricky one considering I basically rewrote it over again as soon as I started typing but I think it's good now._

_So, we're back to present time and Minerva's POV._

_I'm going to warn you now that since many of the Hogwarts characters weren't dwelt upon much personality wise, the characters you may see from here out have been appointed quirky or semi-reasonable personality traits as I saw fit. Enjoy!_

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Minerva looked up as Poppy Pomfrey sat herself down in the chair beside her's, giving her one of her famous stern looks of disapproval.

"You look like hell," Poppy stated plainly. She'd never been one for subtlety, it wasted time.

"Thanks. That really helps my mood," Minerva snapped back. She jabbed her fork into her pie slice with a particular vigor.

Poppy eyed Minerva cautiously. She wasn't normally one to loose her temper, even if she was taking it out on her food. The greater majority of the Hall was celebrating, however melancholy the celebration might be. Minerva may never have been a big partier but she certainly didn't sulk often. Poppy looked at her friend, a crease of worry coating her brow. Minerva was staring blankly at her plate as if she were at the funeral of her mother.

"Well now what's wrong?" Poppy asked. There was no beating around the bush for her.

Minerva looked up again, confused. "Why would something be wrong?"

"You're not eating, you just pulverized your pie piece, a perfectly good one at that, and you look like You-know-who himself were standing in front of you murdering your best friend. Since he's dead and I'm left untouched, I'm deducing that there is indeed something wrong." To her chagrin, Minerva didn't seem to take to the joke at all.

"Poppy, I'm just tired and I don't want to deal with this right now. Please, can we just sit and –" Poppy, refusing her pleadings cut in.

"No, we can't. Now, you're going to look at me and tell me this problem of yours right now or I'm heading down to the dungeons to see if Snape left any Veritaserum in his private office."

Minerva let out a dry sob, followed by a wince. She realized that Poppy would have noticed and indeed, the woman looked like a shark that smelled blood.

"Really, Minerva? Severus Snape?" Minerva attempted to shush her, glancing around towards Flitwick and Hagrid who, thankfully, continued their conversations uninterrupted.

"That's none of your business and I don't want to talk about it. Not now that he's… he's…" She buried her head in her hands, racking sobs coursing through her body.

"Why are you crying, love?" came a deep voice that started her heart beating ten times faster with each word. Slowly, she raised her head from her hands. Her face was wet with tears and, at the sight of the man standing in front of her, more welled up in her eyes.

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_A/N 2: Cliffhanger!! Kind of. Well, not really. Oh well… I think the rewriting it paid off. At first I made Poppy a romance novel fanatic but I didn't think that that stayed with the tone of the story. Also, I'm pretty sure a woman like Poppy wouldn't bother reading muggle romance novels or that if she did, Minerva would understand the refrences. Hope you liked it, and if you did, tell me about and if you didn't tell me what I did wrong!_


	4. The Disadvantages of a Limp

_A/N: This is set about one hour before Poppy and Minerva have their little talk. This chapter too was basically totally rewritten. I'm sorry if the time changes confuse you but ehh… I think it adds a little something. Prepare yourself for a longish chapter (finally). And on we go!_

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Severus shot up as a deafening crack wrenched through the air. A shot of red light, as bright as the sun flashed from what seemed to be the direction of the castle. A stony silence followed and then the muffled roar of a thousand voices celebrating reverberated throughout the land. They had won. Severus sighed in relief. Perhaps she was alright after all. Sinking his head back into the chair in which he sat, he stretched out his legs and decidedly attempted to stand.

He staggered slightly and stumbled over to the door. If she really was unscathed then he had to see her. A blast of cool air met him as he opened the cracked and rotten wooden door. Severus tightened his cloak about his shoulders and trudged out the door. The ground was still wet from the previous night's rain so he had to keep a firm grip upon the ragged fence which swayed treacherously and traveled down the pathway leading away from the decrepit house. He hurried, as fast as a maimed man could go, towards the road. Once he'd reached it, he looked towards the castle in contemplation. He thought he could see the faint outlines of people fleeing from Hogwarts.

Having gathered from the celebratory cheers that the Dark Lord had been vanquished, he assumed that the escapees were members of the defeated Death Eaters. The sight of them running away in fear gave him a sick pleasure. It served them right for choosing the losing side. Chuckling darkly, he continued on his way using the help of walls and fences for support.

As he traveled, he gained strength. He was able to walk longer distances without the help of nearby structures. Eventually though, he was forced to stop and rest. Panting, he sat on a stone just a ways away from the castle's official grounds. After he reached that, the walk would be shorter and smoother. There were not, however, any fences to help him on his way so he figured a break was necessary.

The thought of seeing Minerva again excited him. Not in the primitive sort of way but as a little flutter in his chest. He smiled at the thought. How odd. She tended to bring out that side of him, especially lately. Every other comment she said amused his. To think that simply the thought of her would bring a smile to the lips of the infamous Severus Snape. He looked at the ground. How _would_ she react when she saw him? Obviously, Harry had taken the vial of memories and seen them or the Dark Lord wouldn't be dead. Harry himself wouldn't be dead now. A spot of anger flared up in Severus as he remembered Dumbledore first telling him about Harry's needed sacrifice. He had felt so betrayed. He'd stormed out and went straight to Minerva. She'd been so irritated when he refused to tell her what was bothering him though. She'd probably get irritated now for him not telling her about the antidote he'd prepared. But how could he? The Dark Lord was infamous for his great powers of Legimency and as brilliant and talented a witch she was, she was no match for his mental powers. No, if he'd told her then the whole plan would have been ruined. Surely she could understand that!

Severus gritted his teeth as a bought of pain shot through his left leg. If he could, he'd hunt down that damned snake and mount it's head on his wall. Closing his eyes he concentrated on her face. If anything was to rid him of his agony it would be her.

Sighing, as the pain subsided, he dragged himself up and continued on his way. He smiled again as the image of Nagini's head on his office door and frightened first years staring at it in awe popped into his head. Oddly, he seemed to be doing that an awful lot since he'd started his way towards the castle. _Must be a side-effect of the antidote,_ he thought to himself, _God humor and lessening pain._ Again, dry humor on his own expense this time. Odd indeed.

Remembering his task at hand, he stood laboriously and resumed his journey once again. Once or twice he thought he saw a shadow pass over the grounds but he found nothing outwardly alarming about this. The shadows, whatever they were, seemed too weak or scared to challenge his because as he continued on his way, nothing but a faint breeze moved a hair on his head. He considered this rather good fortune since he wasn't sure if he'd be able to successfully defend himself what with the bad limp he was had to walk with.

As he passed Hagrid's hut, he looked in one of the cracked windows to see that around half the house had been demolish in the attack. The destroyed design looked rather suspiciously like a giant footprint (which it probably was) and all the furniture inside had been crushed to the consistency of twigs.

Perhaps it was the side-effects of the antidote or maybe some profound new appreciation for life after almost dying for the second time in the Shrieking Shack, but he decided he might be able to help out the gamekeeper in his redecoration process. Drawing his wand, he swished and jabbed and flicked until the roof was supporting by newly fixed walls. The tables, chairs and even the bed frame had been put back together as well. If it weren't for the disarray of items strewn across the floor, one wouldn't know anything had disturbed the house. Admiring his handiwork for a moment, he nodded and proceeded to follow the lines of trees to the castle.

How peculiar that the deed had made him feel good. It was almost unnerving that the simple act had made him agreeable for a while. That was until a groaning figure stumbled out of the woods and grabbed hold of his cloak.

"Severus," The creature rasped, "Severus, friend, help me… please…. Help. They've killed him… we ... no where to go… I ran, oh yes. I did that… Ahh! My side… it's burning! Please, Severus!"

Severus peered down upon the writhing man clutching his cloak. There lay Yaxley. He gasped as a fresh wall of pain forced him to release Severus' cloak.

"Yaxley, tell me, who did this to you? And why are you muttering nonsense for?" Severus asked, his voice steely and cold

His eyes opened and a flood of clarity seemed to fill them.

"Three bloody students, that's who. Knocked me out they did. Then that McGonagall hag dumped me out. Thought she'd tie me up, she did. Thought she'd take me to Azkaban. But I'd have none of that now…" He laughed maniacally and began to rock back and forth.

Severus grabbed him up by the front of his robes, shaking with fury, "What did you do to her?" he demanded. His voice sounded murderous but his insides were frozen. She _couldn't_ be dead. It wasn't possible.

"I ran away, I did. No way I is going to Azkaban. Not me, no sir. Old hag couldn't tie me up. No, not me." Yaxley continued to muter incoherently while Severus bent down to level with him, ignoring the flared up pain as he did so.

Pointing his wand to his jugular, Severus whispered dangerously in his ear, "That old hag has more power in her little finger than you could ever imagine having at all." Severus shoved him to the ground and created ropes that bound him automatically. Yaxley lay there, shaking, a piece covering his mouth attempting to muffle the ravings. Severus flicked his wand once more, lazily and began to travel once again towards the castle, this time followed by a grunting and tied Yaxley floating along behind him as if by a leash.

Severus was sure they made quite an interesting sight. One, a supposed dead man and the other, an insane Death Eater that was incessantly twitching beneath his bindings.

Once they'd reached the doors however, Severus tied off Yaxley's "leash" to an unlit lamp post and pulled his hood over head, hiding his face in a mask of darkness, before slipping silently through the open castle doors.

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_A/N 2: So there you go. I aquiested your requests to bring up this chapter, mind you a little later than you'd probably hoped. I'm going to try and type up the rest and continue the story but I've almost reached a block head and I'm not exactly sure how to end the story... Any Suggestions?_


	5. Hugs, Kisses and Curses

_A/N: So, we make full circle, bringing the two together. I hope you guys are enjoying the story so far! _

_May I remind (or inform) you of some new stuff I've recently added. I will try and update this often as I can but with the other stories as well and school coming back up, I might have some issues with that. Just FYI._

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Minerva stood slowly, walking around the edge of the table so that she stood directly in front of the man of her dreams; the man that was supposed to be dead. Nearby, Flitwick and Hagrid had stopped their conversation and were peering curiously over at the hooded man. Poppy's eyes flicked back and forth between the couple's candlelit forms anxiously. Some of the other people sitting in nearby chair, glanced their way, wondering who the cloaked form standing beside McGonagal belonged to, one or two even reaching for their wands in preparation for trouble.

Minerva looked in Severus' eyes; those deep, black eyes. She felt a sudden surge of anger towards the man before her. How dare he! She'd just spent what felt like hours drowning in her own pathetic grief for him and he had the nerve to come back to life, waltz right in and expect undying devotion? Devotion her ass! The man looked untouched, perfect, and pristine.

Smiling cockily, his curious bout of joy returned to him as he inspected his lover's health. She was okay! He looked down at her astonished face and said, "I have a present that I think you may enjoy."

That's about when she punched him: a full blown, close fisted right hook straight to the jaw. How dare he act so casual! She'd thought he was being digested by a giant snake and here he was joking around and smirking at her. That self-righteous bastard, that prick.

Glaring some more at him, she turned on her heel and began to storm off in the opposite direction. Severus, however, would have none of that. He jogged to catch up and, clasping her wrist in his hand, pulled her to him. She struggled for a moment, trying to punch the daylights out of his chest before she gave in.

Having him there, having him close and feeling his arms around her once more, she could hold in her tears no more. Collapsing against his chest, she proceeded to let loose all the pain she'd been working so hard to bottle up only moments previous.

He rubbed her back, quietly shushing her and kissing her forehead. He wasn't sure what their private affairs looked like from the viewers seats but he guessed it wasn't good. As far as they knew, which probably wasn't much, he was a mysterious and threatening cloak figure, manhandling their beloved Professor.

Severus was just contemplating this scenario when he felt the sharp jab of a wand poking his back. Being careful not to jostle her, he turned to see the figure of a irritated redheaded girl standing , wand directed at him, a ferocious look of determination plastered on her face. From the gathering crowd of fellow redheads racing over from their table to join her, Severus deduced that this was one of the weasley children. The youngest, a girl… oh, what was her name? Ah yes, Ginny Weasley.

"Let her go," demanded the little girl, steely and surprisingly forceful, even for a sixth year. "I said let her go or I will jinx your ears off your head."

"Ginny!" panted her father, Arthur Weasley, warned, eyeing Severus' hidden form. He sounded forceful but Severus could detect a hint of hidden pride in his voice.

It hadn't really occurred to Severus that the cloak's hood would shadow his face, especially since Minerva didn't seem to have any trouble at all figuring out who he was. He did assume, however, that if you looked hard enough and expected to see a not-so-deceased Severus Snape, then you'd recognize him. Now, having Minerva pressed against him probably looked like he was poorly attempting to shield her from their view, as if he'd beaten her and didn't wish to advertise it's affects on her. The thought alone made him sick. How could these people even imagine that he would hurt her? Ginny Weasley and her mother, Molly, however, continued to glare at him murderously. They weren't quite meeting his eyes though, whether that was from fear or the inability to tell where his eyes were, he didn't know.

Looking down at them, he could see the wariness in their eyes. They'd already dealt with so much. To them, he presented just one more nameless threat to their previously chaotic evening. Pulling down his hood to his shoulders, he revealed his identity to those close enough to see. He heard a collective gasp spread around them and since no one had attempted to stun him yet, he assumed Potter had sung a verse or two about him in praise.

"You bastard," growled Molly and Severus raised his eyebrows in reply. She really was a brave woman, standing up to him despite the rumors of his corruption. "You come back here after helping to maim and murder hundreds of wonderful witches and wizards," she took a step closer to him, pointing a sharp-nailed finger, "all of whom had more decency than you could imagine having in a life time!" She puffed out a huge breath of finality.

"As I'm sure Potter informed you, I had nothing to do with the deaths of those in this building." He replied curtly.

"Oh, is that so," she sneered, her eyes narrowing, "and I suppose Dumbledore dropped dead of his own accord then? And what about my son? My poor… poor boy…" She broke down, turning to sob against her husband who held her and glared angrily at Severus.

"If you don't believe Potter's stories, then you can ask Dumbledore himself. It was on his directions that I did the deeds I did. Who else would provide directions for me following his death?"

"The death you caused!" Ginny exclaimed, still holding up her wand.

"Yes, I killed him but he was dying anyways. It was his foolish choice to wear that cursed ring and, faced with an eventual death, he saw fit to force me to kill him rather than letting the Malfoy boy do it." He was shocked to hear the amount of bitterness that had crept into his voice. Though, in actuality, he had every reason to be mad. Dumbledore had made Severus kill him. People didn't do that to one another. Then, he'd continued to give him orders that made little sense and when asked about were totally pieces of guesswork.

He was brought out of his own mental rant as Minerva shifted against his chest. He looked down at her and met her tear-stricken green eyes. He ignored Molly Weasley's scoffs towards his previous statements and dragged the pad of his thumb under the rim of her eyes, catching many stray tears along the way. She smiled slightly and he leaned down to kiss the top of her head. He then looked back to Molly, whose mouth was hanging open in astonishment.

"You… kiss…..what… her… but Lily Potter? Minerva? and… lovers?" Molly's brain struggled to take in the new surprise. And Severus couldn't help but smirk a bit at her discomfort.

"I did love Lily and I am quite sure I always will. I do, however, have someone else to love alongside." He smiled down to Minerva and untangled her arms from his waist.

She let out a small moan of complaint. All she wanted right then was to hold him some more. Chances were, this was all a dream. He probably wasn't here. She was most likely still sitting at the table, attempting to shove off Poppy's questions and then once she'd put her head down, she'd fallen asleep. She was exhausted after all. The more time she spent with him now, the better. The ideal activity, of course, didn't seem quite appropriate to engage in the middle of such a public area however.

_What a shame._ She thought right before blushing scarlet and scolding herself mentally. (Severus' brow wrinkled in confusion at her flush but thought better than to bring it up right then. I sounded like a good conversation for later, once all the hustle had calmed and they got a good night's rest.)

Looking up into Severus' face, she thought back to the moment she'd heard Harry state that he'd died. He'd said that he had seen him die himself. If that were true, how was it that that very man was standing before her, looking down at her with concern. He seemed so real. He felt the same, smelled the same and looked perfectly normal.

Severus watched as a series of emotions flit across Minerva's face. He knew the looks he was getting from her. She didn't believe him. She'd come to her regular inquisitive senses and was most definitely calculating the possibilities of him being a figment of her imagination. He gently reached down and took her hand in his. He began to lead her away from the crowd of Weasleys to go find themselves a quiet, private room in which to talk. He'd show her what was real or not.

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_A/N 2: Well, I've been able to continue my slow progression on this story and overcame my first big bout of writers block for it (thank you FoM!) and I actually wrote out an outline (gasp). I'll continue working but I'm pretty tired right now so I might switch over to my other, happier MM/SS fanfic. Please tell me how you liked it!_


	6. An End to the Fighting

_A/N: So, I was looking up Harry Potter facts (names, relationships and such on Wikimedia) and I found it rather disconcerting. I don't recommend touching the physical attributes article. Yech. I suppose J.K. may have had different ideas when it came to her awesome characters but I prefer to keep my inner eye squeaky clean with only my interpretations of how they had looked their ages and the like. Oh well, that's the reason this is delayed. The unpleasant truth can seriously wreck your mojo…_

_On a happier note, here is the next chapter you've all been craving… I, again, rewrote this one to put a darker romance. I know it's not all that long but I thought the breaking point was good. Hope you enjoy it!_

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Severus directed Minerva to an empty classroom, the likes of which had been largely demolished in the fight against the Dark Lord. Closing the door behind them, he walked back over to her. Minerva was staring up at him, she eyes still puzzled. Slipping his arms over her sides, he encircled her waist. She allowed him to pull her close into a light kiss.

Once they broken apart however, he inspected her for any faults. She seemed rather well – physically anyways- , only a few cuts and bruises here and there. Minerva knew as possessive as he was that bringing up any inquisitive matters while he checked her well being would result in nothing more than a noncommittal grunt or two.

So she waited him out until his eyes had met hers once more. She soaked in those black eyes, basking in the warmth that seemed to lie there for her comfort alone.

Severus had to clear his own throat to pull her focus back to the present. Figuring the confrontation would be much easier on a professional note; he took a step back, and held only her hands in his. It pained him to see the disappointment on her face from his absence. Never had he seen her as vulnerable as he did now. She was normally the one pulling away, always a pillar of strength and judgment. Now, she looked tired and distressed. His heart ached, longing to hold her for a moment more but he knew what had to be done. He took one hand to raise her chin so they were looking eye level. She was a tall woman and almost reached the same height as him when she stood with her usual upright posture. This time however, she seemed to be slouching and Minerva McGonagall did not slough.

"What is troubling you my dear," Severus asked, adding tones of comfort and care in his voice. "I've seen you look this unhappy since Slytherin won the Quidditch Cup for the tenth time in a row."

His lip quirked up as he noted with pride that he'd succeeded in causing a spark of fury reach her eyes, if only briefly.

"That was a circumstantial match and you know it!" She fumed. Then, as quickly as the irritation had struck her, she cooled down and returned to her glum disposition. She smiled sadly at him and, playing with the buttons of his robes absent-mindedly, "It really is too bad though."

"About the match?" Severus asked and his brow furrowed in confusion.

"No, about you. If only you hadn't died… but it's too late for that and I really want to enjoy this before I wake up." Minerva said with a look of pity towards Severus.

"Wake up?" Whatever could she mean by that? She was there, standing before him, awake and conscious. Surely she couldn't believe this to be a dream.

"Yes. You're not here, Severus. You died. Harry saw you."

"Forget Harry. How can you think I am a figment of your imagination? This, us, right now. This is all real. You must realize that."

She smiled at him once more. What a sweet man. She would miss him so very much but right now she was just tired. Tired from fighting Voldemort, from fighting herself not to release her emotions and now from fighting Severus. "Let's just make this what it is. Hold me in your arms and let me enjoy what little time I have with you. Severus."

He was shocked. She was giving up. Wasn't she supposed to be a foolishly brave Gryffindor? Weren't they supposed to be stubborn as pigs and ceaseless in their quest for victory? His eyebrows knit together in frustration. He would make her believe him. He had to.

He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her deeply and passionately. He threw in all the emotions he could. The hurt he felt as her doubt, the safety he felt when she was near, the anger at her own weakness, the need for her to understand and the love. The love that always made his whole being ache for her. He poured all of it into the one kiss. A kiss that continued even after they'd had to break apart for air.

When they finally broke apart, both were panting heavily. She looked into his arms again and tears sprang to her eyes. He was here. He was safe. Seeing the change in her face, Severus smiled brightly and leaned over to continue their "activities" when a tentative knock interrupted them from the other side of the door.

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_A/N 2: Well, I'm happy. In my original version it was all talking and "here's what happened now we're cool." I needed to add in some kissing though. I would like to thank shadowycat for providing her awesome Truth Beyond Memory story that seriously helped restore my love story mojo after being hit by that stupid Wikimedia page. _

_Anyhow, any guesses as to who might be on the other side of that door?_

_{{Reviews make me very happy people!}}_


	7. Constant Interruptions

_A/N: So here it is, the next chapter. I'm going to warn you that it is not my best nor most exciting.. I dislike it for its stubbornness and it refused to behave. Well, I have no witty banter to provide tonight so all I'll say then is Enjoy as much as you can!_

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Severus and Minerva froze. Another knock pierced the silence of the room. They noted their positions and quickly rearranged themselves as not to promote unwanted rumors. Severus walked over to the door and creaked it open a smidge. Peering past it, his eyes met a small elderly woman tapping her foot impatiently at their time consuming abilities.

"Oh for goodness sakes, Severus, let me in. I'm not stupid. I saw Minerva leave with you." She snapped, catching sight of his face.

"I suppose you followed us here then?" he sneered in reply. He'd never liked the woman much. She was always patronizing him for no reason. Nevertheless, he opened the door and allowed her entry.

"Nonsense- hello Minerva- I simply asked the house elves if they'd seen a pair of suspicious looking folk sneak off somewhere. There do seem to be plenty of those going around because they had several such people in various rooms. I expect most would be those following your example." A mischievous gleam entered her eyes as she observed the couples slightly disheveled appearances.

Minerva stepped forward hastily as Severus opened his mouth angrily, most likely to deliver some sort of saucy retort.

"Poppy, is there anything in particular that you need? Because if not, Severus and I have one more thing to discuss before we say goodnight."

Severus was impressed. She'd recovered rather quickly from the surprise- and on his account disappointing- visit. As if they were going to discuss anything in her absence. The idea seemed laughable. Any possible explanations would come most definitely after tonight. The look he received from her told him the same. Unfortunately, Poppy couldn't be fooled quite as easily as you would think.

"Don't give me that tosh, Minerva. I'm quite aware of your…er situation here, however I do suppose I'm not simply here to talk to you delightful people. I'm here because I need the both of you to follow me."

Severus' eyebrows shot up, "Couldn't it wait until later?"

Poppy smiled again, "No, it can't. However, I'm quite sure your libido _will_ last until later, so if you don't mind, please follow me."

Severus' face turned a brilliant scarlet. He did mind, he minded very much in fact and he planned to share this news with Poppy when Minerva placed her hand on his shoulder and gave him a look of warning. Rolling his eyes emphatically, Severus consigned to follow the irritating little woman to wherever it could be that she was taking them.

As it turned out, she'd been taking them over to a little station set up in place of the hospital wing. Severus almost turned the other way when he saw it but resisted temptation as he caught Minerva's eye. He prepared himself for having to refuse Poppy's expected request to have him stay the night in the station for recovery. It seemed every time he even scratched himself, she attempted to keep him for recovery. If he didn't know better, he'd think she did it on purpose, knowing how much he hated staying in the Hospital Wings.

Poppy guided them to an unoccupied bench, the likes of which seemed to be few and far between. They sat together, feeling awkward amongst the injured. Few of the other patients were conscious and those who were seemed overtly unaware of their surroundings.

"Are they alright?" Minerva asked, her voice only a whisper.

"Who? Oh, them. Yes, they are perfectly fine. I gave the lot a cup each of a dreamless sleeping potion. There are a few that haven't seemed to fall asleep yet. I'll see to them after I've dealt with the both of you." She finished in a scolding voice, as if telling them off for attempting change a subject that had never been made.

She busied herself at once performing intricate little spells to check for injuries on the couple. After an uncomfortable ten minutes of poking and prodding, Poppy released them from her grasp to go and tend to other patients.

Severus was more than happy to escape the irritating old biddy. He was quite sure that she'd poked him as hard as she did just in spite. Nevertheless, he was eager to head to resume their… "conversation" in the empty classroom.

He grasped Minerva's hand to lead her back to where they'd come from and they proceeded to walk down the halls, hands discreetly held.

Once they'd reached their destination however, Severus was unpleasantly surprised to find the room already occupied. He swung the door open and wrinkled his nose in distaste at the sight before him.. Two students were huddled in the corner, groping each other emphatically. Severus made a motion of loudly clearing his voice and the two kids jumped apart from one another as fast as they could.

"H-hello Professor," stuttered an extremely nervous Lavender Brown, "Um… is there anything we can… uh… do for y-you?"

"Do for us? Well for one you can stop fouling this facility up with your insufferable-"

"Severus!" Minerva exclaimed, astounded by his sudden and rather unexplainable loss of temper. She then turned back to the students in question and gave them a stern look, "Now as for you two, you'd better get out of here now and not let me catch you around here again or so help me I will give you detentions for a week. As for now, I will settle for docking you 5 house points each." She turned on her heel and walked off, Severus close at her heels.

He followed her like this for several minutes, stalking silently behind before reaching out and lazily catching her arm. She spun around, slightly confused at his encroachment but welcomed him anyways.

"Where are we going, my dear?" Severus asked, slipping his arm around her waist into what seemed to be a normal position.

"I thought we might visit an old friend. I need to clear my mind a bit and conversing with him always seemed to help. Would you accompany me?" The corners of her lips were drawn up in a crooked smile.

"Hmm, as you wish" He purred in reply.

* * *

_A/N2: This chapter mostly served to glue together the seams of a slightly ragged plotline. I will however give points to anyone who can recognize that last line in all its glory. (I do love my movies)_


	8. Contemplations

_A/N: Short but effective chapter. I'd been straying from the mature loverly feelings (against my own will I might add) and I thought I'd take some time during a pleasant nightly stroll to reevaluate them. Enjoy!  
_

* * *

Minerva glanced over at Severus as she led him towards the headmaster's office. She could hardly believe that he was real and there, walking beside her. To think that less than an hour ago she'd been grieving over his untimely death.

That had brought questions to her mind however. How _had_ he survived? As far as she knew, Voldemort's snake had bitten him, injecting him with poisonous venom that none before him had survived. Poppy had even checked him and nothing had seemed amiss. She wracked her brain, attempting to muster up some explanation; _any_ explanation fro this strange occurrence.

She looked at him again to scan every inch of his face for some sort of sign. To think though, she'd almost lost him. She'd even thought she'd lost him which, in itself, was bad enough.

The emotions she'd felt… well she certainly hadn't felt them ever. Sure, she'd had her flings over the years, that wizard from the Magical Catastrophe Department and that one auror that worked the original Voldemort case, but this, this was real. The feelings they seemed to feel towards one another were – no pun intended- magical.

* * *

Severus saw her watching him. He wouldn't admit it but he tended to stare at her as well. It was all so surreal, the ordeal they'd just been through. It seemed like it was years ago that he'd been bitten and the thought of him having spoken to the Dark Lord only hours previous seemed laughable. Now, here he was, walking down the familiar halls of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry with a woman who by all definitions in his book was lovelier tonight than she'd ever been, despite the slight bags under her eyes and the weariness in her step. He was lucky to be there with her and thankfully, he'd realized that a long time ago.  
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_A/N 2: Hope you liked it a fair lot better than the last chapter. I know its short but it was also necessary for my brain to deal with. Please tell me how you liked (or disliked) it!_


	9. A Talk to Come

_A/N: Sorry, sorry, sorry for the delay. I haven't had time to do much but breathe lately. Okay, so we're continuing and this chapter is super super short... BUT.... there will be another one up as soon as my fingers finsihed typing it out... in fact these two were gonna be combined but I figured posting them separately would give you guys something to yell at me about. Enjoy!_

* * *

Severus continued to follow Minerva up to a large door guarded by a gargoyle. She opened the door to reveal a winding staircase which they both immediately stepped onto.

As the staircase turned upwards, another door came into view. It was large and made of wood with long, iron strips of metal holding it together. On the wood, one could faintly make out the engraved markings of magical symbols. The door radiated power and as Minerva reached out a tentative hand to open it, Severus stopped her, catching her arm.

"Minerva," he started, "I need to ask you about something now. We have to talk before the both of us go up there. I need to be sure that we're alright. We've never talked about… any of this; all the fights and disagreements and deceiving. We must address this now or all that chaos; all those unsaid things will linger in the air, unbidden forever. I can't deal with not knowing. I must be sure that you won't go back to hating me for agreeing to kill Albus. I need to be sure that you still love me."

Severus held her hand, unable to look at her and softly stroked it with the pad of his thumb.

Minerva in turn stared at him, soaking in his presence; the mere idea of him being alive and well washed over her again as she thought over his words. How could she not love him? Even after all they'd been through…

She still remembered that first encounter. The first time he'd disappeared. He'd left her with so much confusion and doubt. Then she'd found Albus…

* * *

_A/N 2: And so now I stall and come up with more and more ideas to delay having the big talk and we venture into the wonderful world of flashbacks... Note; the following chapter(s) will be taking place before now and rather angsty at points._


	10. Memories

_A/N: So here's the next enstallment.. Sorry it took so long, I'm watching Ms. Congeniality at the same time. I hope you like this one seeing as while it's still short, it's about twice as long as the previous two. Have fun!_

* * *

They were sitting in the teacher's lounge. For the past half hour they'd held a slightly heated conversation about their trouble students. On his behalf, there were many; most of whom resided in the Gryffindor House.

"And then there's Potter," he spat, contempt all but dripping from his mouth.

"Ah yes, your favorite." She teased. Everyone knew how much Severus Snape despised the famous young wizard and even he himself didn't seem too bothered to hide it.

"He's always causing trouble left and right. Him and his silly friends: that know-it-all Granger and gangly, dimwitted Weasley boy. Ugh, they disgust me: trampling around breaking every single rule they can land their feet upon…"

Minerva scoffed. It always came back to those three. She had no problem what-so-ever with the trio especially Miss Granger. "You wouldn't have nearly as much of an issue with them if Potter's father hadn't bothered you so much during your schooling years."

"Potter tortured me! You could hardly call it 'bothering!' I swear you Gryffindors are alike: pigheaded, foolish and incorrigible! " Severus exclaimed.

Minerva smirked a little. She did love to get a rise out of him. She loved seeing the faint blush creep over his pale cheeks as he valiantly attempted to defend his arguments.

"Well you can't hate all Gryffindors…" she purred, leaning into him ever so slightly. "I tend to find you like me a bit more than you seem to be saying now…"

Severus' lip quirked and he responded silkily, "My dear, I can hardly count you as a Gryffindor. You're far too much like a Slytherin for that sort of label." His hand snaked around to encircle her waist as he pulled her closer.

Minerva chuckled darkly in reply, tapping his lower lip with her finger, "You wish I were as slippery as you…"

She leaned in, ready to be captured in a heated kiss when-

CRASH

A young Ginny Weasley burst through the door in a fit of hysteria. "Professor McGonagall, Professor! Please, you must come now! They're here and we have to hurry! Harry said to hold them off but there are so many…"

Minerva and Severus shot apart, exchanging mixed looks of shock and worry.

"Calm down, you silly girl!" Minerva cried, standing and catching Ginny by her shoulders. Once she'd been quieted, Minerva got to the point. "Now, what's this you're going on about? Who's coming?"

She felt Severus grip her arm tightly, turning she noticed his wince and the way his other hand held his wrist. Minerva locked eye contact, attempting to offer any sort of piece of comfort for him. She wished for nothing more than to hold his hand or embrace him boldly. Damn the student blocking her way. No… she didn't mean that… she understood the reasoning behind the girl's interruption or at least, she did now after seeing Severus.

"Who else is alerted of this intrusion?" she asked, sighing slightly to herself. That was a sorry goodbye to her relaxing evening with Severus.

"Only the D.A. so far but some of the students are attempting contact with the Order. We have to hurry thought. There are tons of Death Eaters down there."

Minerva hurried forward, squeezing Severus' shoulder softly and attempting to transfer all the emotions she was feeling. Then, nodding in ascent to Ginny once, she proceeded to follow the girl out.

X X X X X X

She was exhausted. Two hours of fighting tooth and nail through mazes of flying curses really made a person ache for the quiet life.

She fired a hex at a nearby Death Eater and dodged her way through the crowd of fighters letting her eyes sweep over the faces, scanning for the right one. As far as she could tell, he wasn't there. This made no sense however, since he _was_ a member of the Order and everyone available was supposed to be fighting.

Shooting a few more defensive spells, she finally caught sight of him slipping through the doorway to the Astronomy Tower.

"Severus!" she called, pushing an unaware student out of the line of fire. "Severus, you can't go up there! They've blocked the door and they'll-"

Her plea was cut short as a racking scream ripped throughout the air. Minerva swung her head around, catching sight of a young girl being overtaken by Fenrir Greyback.

Rushing over to her, she sent a volley of well aimed jinxes towards the werewolf that sent him flying away from the girl. No doubt he'd be up within minutes but for now, she was safe.

X X X X X X X

They'd fought many more opponents, she knew that much. Exactly who their spells had hit, no one could be sure of. The majority of the defenders were leaning against the walls of the corridor; some were attending to the wounded. There were still a few students and warriors attempting to break down the barrier set up by the Death Eaters.

The group of resting fighters shot up as the shocked sounds of a starting battle from the tower's doorway.

Minerva watched as several Death Eaters spilled out from the tower's entrance, many fighters jumping up to meet them. She spied Severus sprinted midst the crowd towards the exits. He started to pass her without a glance, not even a look. She opened her mouth to call out; maybe he couldn't see her. Just before he reached the door however, he glanced over at her. His eyes slid over her, and he continued on his way. Her brows furrowed in confusion. Why hadn't he stopped for her? Why was the Malfoy boy following him? Why were they leaving the castle? These questions whirled through her brain madly.

It wasn't until later; after she'd seen the body of her dear friend that she realized his reasoning. He must have known she would discover the lie. The lie he'd created to convince her that they'd had something; something that she'd never once expected in a million years to happen between them.

X X X X X X X

Minerva was brought out of her reminiscences and looked back up at Severus. Were they okay after all?

* * *

_A/N 2: So, I hope you liked it... I thinkI'm gonna type up the next few tonight but post them tomorrow to keep the clincher... clinching. Reviews please, I've been going so long with out them!_


	11. A Confession

_A/N: So this one's a bit short again but we're gonna have to take a break into the present time before we delve into Snape's loverly memories... I hope you enjoy this one!_

* * *

Brought out of her thoughts, Minerva looked at Severus, calculating his expression. His face had its normal mask plastered on. A mask she'd found over the years was easier for some people to see past; some people like her. He was worried. He knew that if she very well wanted, she could turn on her heel and walk away and it would be no one's fault but his own.

"Why didn't you look at me?" she asked, not quite registering how out of the air that might seem to him.

"When?" he replied, his brow furrowed in an attempt to remember.

"That night, in the tower? You ran right past me. I thought you might have been distracted for a while but then… when I heard about Albus… about what you'd done… Was it a lie Severus?" Minerva pleaded the truth. She didn't know if she could take anymore deception and lies.

Severus stared at her then; scanning the endless depths of her eyes. He _had_ hurt her, he knew that. He'd never really thought about what she would think when he had to escape the castle. Now that he did look back however, he did faintly recall her expression. Such confusion, such worry, so much concern for his own well being and then to top of her sympathy, she discovers he had the main role in the murder of her dearest friend. He hadn't meant to make her feel abandoned. He just wasn't strong enough. He wasn't strong enough to admit to her his fault, that intolerable act he'd been forced to do upon the very man who appointed it. He couldn't show her the pain he'd felt for the deed he'd done. He knew now that if he had done more than glance her way for comfort, she'd have known. She always had been able to get under his skin and see past all the walls he'd put up to defend himself.

"I-I couldn't face it… You… I couldn't tell you what I'd done. I knew if you had seen me, you'd hate me. I know that doesn't excuse it and I should've explained it earlier than now but… you wouldn't have believed me. And telling you the truth would have put I you in greater danger than you could have ever managed to do yourself. The Dark Lord would've found out and then you'd have died. I can't go through that again. It nearly killed me this time and I know it would have this time. If you hated me, all the better. He would feel the hatred, see the dislike and know that I'd been faithful to his cause. If he continued to think that, then I'd be able to keep you safe; to keep everyone here safe or at least as many as I could manage without revealing my cover." Severus grasped Minerva's hands in his own, "You must understand this, Minerva. You must! I've gone through so much to save you, all of you…"

* * *

_A/N 2: I hope you liked it... up next we've got some awesome Snape memories and that one might not be up until tomorrow.. late tonight at least because I'm going to add in some bits here and there._

_I'll try and work on more for PWEggnog but this story is actually moving for me so I might just stick with it..._

_Review!_


	12. Through the Snake's Eyes

A/N: So I'm only gonna beg your forgiveness for my delay once and if you want to hear my excuses go a ahead and ask... So the story is behaving and if my insomnia kicks in again I might russel up another couple chapters out of thin air for this. .. Enjoy!

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_Severus Snape grunted down at the stiff roll of parchment before him. The Dark Lord demanded so many things. The year had just begun and already there were loads of surprises for him. The least of which was not his appointment as Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry._

_Now, his false master demanded that Severus hire two of the most merciless Death Eaters short of insanity: Alecto and Amycus Carrow. The two siblings would most definitely prove to further stress his reign as Headmaster. It was the Dark Lord's veiled way of keeping an eye on Hogwarts._

_On the outside, he appeared to be sending Severus reinforcements but in reality, Severus could recognize the subtle threat of the Carrows' presence. _

_He set aside the message with a sigh. Working as Dumbledore's spy struck a mighty toll upon Severus' mental strain. He set his head down into his hands, gently massaging his temples. _

"_Are you alright, Severus?" came a voice from behind him. Severus did not need to turn to recognize it as the voice belonging to the late Albus Dumbledore._

"_I'm fine," was his curt reply._

_He knew the old man was only concerned for his well-being and did not deserve Severus' sniping but the younger man couldn't help himself. All of this was Dumbledore's fault. He hadn't wanted to be the Dark Lord's servant ever again. He had escaped from that horrifying circus and then, Albus had shoved him right back in. 'Trust me' he'd said, promising a passive revenge for Lily's death. Severus had fallen hook, line and sinker for the promise and had been Dumbledore's puppet ever since. Enough time acting as a traitorous spy could rub any man raw._

_He sighed deeply, "I just can't get ahead of him. Each time I plan a way to appear the perfect servant of the Dark Lord whist harming as few people as possible; he comes up with one more way to force me back into a corner. I can't take it much longer. If I weren't to fear for my life as well as those of who I care for, I'd let loose with the secrecy and flee. I don't want to be a spy. I don't want more people to hate me. I don't want… her… to hate me." His voice faltered. He choked back a dry sob and attempted to regain some control over his emotions._

_Dumbledore looked down at him, his painted eyes filled with pity. "My dear young man, you are far stronger than I would have ever guessed and I would never have asked you to do these things if I didn't have to."_

_Severus scoffed. He doubted that. Dumbledore had always been sympathetic and good but never one to raise the life of one person against that of a whole group._

_X X X X X_

_Severus looked down the dinner table at the stiff figure of Minerva McGonagall. The woman he'd loved for a long time now refused to look at him and when she did; her eyes were only filled with hate. _

_It pained him to live with her hatred but he could only rejoice in her safety. He couldn't let her know about the plots left by Dumbledore. He just couldn't. Doing so would put her in immediate danger. Unless she were to 'conform' to Death Eater reign as an undercover spy- which wouldn't work because of her own Gryffindor pride and the Death Eaters' hatred for her- she would be tortured and all information pulled out of her before her untimely death. That would be unbearable. No, her hatred was a welcomed pain compared to the agony of her indefinite absence._

_X X X X X_

_-in the shrieking shack-_

_Severus lay there on the dirt floor, blood pulsing through his veins. His eyes shot open like a gunshot. He gritted his teeth to the liquid fire he felt burning its poison through towards his heart. He hoped the antidote would kick in soon. The burning sensation was not one he wanted to prolong more than necessary. _

_As he lay there, he thought back to the previous year's events. He'd caused so much pain, spun so many lies. Then finally, last night, Minerva had snapped. He knew Harry had entered the castle and in a vain attempt to gain his whereabouts from her, he had tried to shelter the boy as much as he could. Then she'd gone off. _

_He knew that all that rage conveyed towards him wasn't just his affiliation to Voldemort or his way of conducting Hogwarts. It was his murdering Dumbledore, his betraying her trust, his continuation of support for the forces of evil that plagued her still even as the renewed memory of Dumbledore lived on. _

_He feared that after all that emotion and his escape from her clutches that she wouldn't love him anymore. That when he turned up at her doorstep, she'd kill him or worse: deny him._

_But what if, by some chance, she did forgive him. What if she were to continue to love him even though he'd wrenched her heart apart into a thousand little pieces? Would they live happily ever after, like they did in the fairytales Lily had always told him? _

_The content thought crept through his brain as he slowly closed his eyes once more and sunk into a deep sleep, letting the antidote work it's magic._

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_A/N 2: Again, sorry sorry sorry! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I know its a bit scattered but maybe sometime I'll rewrite Snape's whole year as headmaster again... who knows? That'll have to wait for later though. replies! = :)


	13. The After Thoughts

_A/N: This is it. The end. I would apologize for my year of absence in this storyline but I can only write if I know what to write. Therefore, this is the final chapter. I may write more stories to follow the plot of this one but as for now, I am putting this on the shelf. Enjoy. _

_XXXXXXXXXX_

They had reached Albus Dumbledore's office. Severus faintly recalled his having never stopped referring to the office space as such. It was Dumbledore's. He tapped his wand against the stone wall. Immediately, the wall shifted, stone steps appearing in a circular movement. Lithely, he stepped onto the stairs, holding his hand out for Minerva so she could do the same. She threw him a look but complied, taking his proffered hand. What she had not counted upon was his not letting her go. The two professors walked the length of the moving stairs, coming to a stop at the double, wooden doors of Dumbledore's office. Minerva reached up a tentative hand to move the knocker but fell short as a light voice beckoned them in.

Albus Dumbledore's mighty portrait sat in the Headmaster's office, its frame vast and centered among the other Headmasters of Hogwarts' past.

"My dear, though common courtesy is much appreciated, I am in fact not in the position to need it." Albus said to Minerva.

She shook her head, "Regardless of your position, Albus, you deserve it."

"Oh, I daresay I do but I am in fact deceased, Minerva. And we all know one shouldn't 'knock the dead.'" Albus chuckled to himself

Minerva fought an urge to roll her eyes. She was spared the urge, however, as Albus turned to Severus.

"You did well, Severus." Albus said his voice serious.

"Thank you, Albus. I think I will enjoy the rest from this endeavor though."

"Indeed!" piped Albus. His smile faded once more, "I am sorry to say that it will take a while for the wizarding world to accept you. As far as the majority of the public knows, you are the Death Eater responsible for my death. It won't be easy to convince them otherwise. However, with much perseverance and, I'm sure, some help from Mr. Potter here, you should have you infamous nature reversed in no time."

Severus and Minerva shot looks of surprise at the trio of former students standing quietly in the room. They had not noticed them. Severus moved closer to Minerva, knowing full well that as Harry had seen him murder Albus, the boy might very well act in the rash manner he preferred. There was no way Severus was letting Minerva catch a backlash of Potter's anger.

He was disappointed. Harry did not look mad or angry or even irritated. He looked… tired. There was no other word for it. The boy was tired. And, Severus admitted to himself, it made sense. Defeating the most powerful Dark Lord in the world would surely drain one's energy.

Noting the peculiar expression on Harry's face hiding beneath the exhaustion, Severus realized the potter boy had to have seen the memories. Sever had bestowed them upon him in case the antidote did not take. He had been right in doing so, apparently. Having an… ally such as a world famous wizard-even in he was hardly pubescent- would undoubtedly help him to gain a footing back in life.

xxxxxxx

Minerva watched the two men survey each other. Severus was coming around. She recognized his calculating look. Much as he would undoubtedly hate the idea of a congenial relationship with Harry Potter, she knew he would see the logical benefits behind it. Besides, Harry knew Severus' life now. Much as it had stung to hear of his residual feelings for Lily Potter, she understood them. It was hard to let go of someone you love. They more often than not stay with you forever, no matter how many others you love after them.

Harry walked up to Severus, his steps heavy with exhaustion. He placed a small, glass vial into the professor's hand. "I am sorry for what you had to go through," Harry said. "I didn't want you to have to do any of this, regardless of our disagreements or your involvement in my parent's death. You didn't deserve it, any of it. But, thank you. Without your help, Voldemort would not be dead and I hope you are willing to realize that." Harry turned, next to Dumbledore's portrait. "If you will excuse me, sir. I have a Gryffindor Dormitory that is calling my name." Harry nodded to each adult in turn and then headed down the stairs, out of Dumbledore's office.

Ron looked a bit panicked. He, unlike Harry, was unaccustomed to sitting in an office full of professors. He waved awkwardly before, too, disappearing down the spiraling stairs.

Hermione had not stopped looking at Dumbledore. He smiled warmly at her, "May I help you with something, Miss Granger."

"I-I just wanted to thank you." She said finally.

"Thank me?" The idea seemed to strike him as funny. "You, my dear, are the one to be thanked! You three saved the wizarding world! I merely sat here and made Severus run chores for me."

Hermione blushed and shook her head, "No, sir, I mean for the book. You left me the Ancient Runes book in your will." Albus nodded, beaming at her. "I do know it was to help us learn about the hallows but I just wanted you to know I enjoyed that book very much so, thank you."

"You're very welcome, Miss Granger. Now, I would suggest you go see Mr. Weasley as he is undoubtedly lost without you." Hermione blushed deeply again but nodded and headed down the stairs.

"Now, Minerva, I am sure you have your questions to ask me." Albus spoke again.

Minerva was startled a bit, having been watching the exchange between Hermione and Albus. All at once the anger and worry and hurt and shock rushed back to her. A scowl appeared on her face as she began pacing and shaking her head.

"How could you, Albus? I mean, with everything you know, you caused your own death? With a ring! How hard is it to guess that if an enchanted ring belonged to Voldemort, you should not wear it! I would think it would be common sense! But, no. Not if you can pull it off; the greatest wizard of our or any other age manages to 'off himself' with a cursed ring!" Minerva's voice was filled with Scottish brogue. With each sharp word, she sank deeper and deeper into her anger, lashing out with every thought and hurt in her. "And how could you not tell me about this whole toxic mess thing you planned? Surely you realized how hurt I would be at your death, at his betrayal. I was a wreck. I was broken. I was—"

"Forgive me the interruption, Minerva but you, of all the witches I have ever known, cannot break. You are stoic. Enough so, in fact, that I felt it necessary and safe to not tell you. I knew you would not do anything drastic. I knew you would overcome your presumptions once you learned the truth. You are brilliant in the sort that you can admit your mistake and change courses of your opinions. You were the most able to take the misguided information. You led the students and the Order and the faculty. You were a necessary fixture for the leadership of our army against Voldemort's forces. You led them as a true Gryffindor, a true lioness if I might say."

Minerva stopped pacing. She glared at her best friend. It was hard to be raging with anger when faced with logic and such compliments as Albus had just bestowed upon her. She finally, gave up, sighing deeply. It was useless. As exasperating as Albus could be, he would never let her be angry with him for long.

Albus beamed in triumph.

Severus placed a hand on the small of Minerva's back. "I think it is about time we helped the others with the castle. They will need all they can get." He said softly.

Minerva nodded. It would take a long time and what with all the injured, they would need to contact St. Mungo's. They would have to get the Auror's office down to round up any other Death Eaters and then, finally came the renovations. She had no doubt the castle was a wreck.

As she looked from Severus to Albus to the grounds of Hogwarts through an office window, Minerva came to realize something: it was going to be alright. Any of the trials they would face would be all in the light of the end of the supposed end. The after thoughts thereafter would indeed be thought after and only after; after happily ever after. For now, she was home. For now, they would go on.

XXXXXXX

_A/N 2: If that paragraph took a few times through of reading it before you understood it, don't worry. It took that long to write it correctly. Well, I hope you liked it. I chose to have it ebb away in an ending rather than lead you on by attempting to write several more chapters every once in a while. _

_On a lighter note: I do have sequel ideas: the rehabilitation of Hogwarts, the social issues of Severus and more on the recovery of the wizarding world but that will safely wait until there is interest or I write all the chapters and them post one every other day. I dunno. That is for later to worry about. For now, Review!_


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